Municipal News & Jobs

Two separate fires on Sunday night and Monday morning left five Kansas City, Kansas, firefighters hospitalized with injuries. Tuesday, the last two who had remained hospitalized were released. The firefighters all sustained serious injuries after the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department responded to two separate second alarm structure fires within 12 hours, according to a news release from the department, including one in which three firefighters were hurt when the floor beneath them collapsed.
Read more: Kansas City Star

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will hold a work session on an updated draft affordable housing incentive policy that aims to increase development to meet the community’s needs and clarify the process, requirements and more for developers seeking city funds. Some projects receive funding through the city’s affordable housing trust fund, which comes from a special city sales tax. Lawrence voters in November 2024 approved doubling the affordable housing sales tax to one penny for every $20 spent in town. The funds have supported numerous projects over the past several years.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Newton residents are far more satisfied with their City than their regional and national peers. Yet they also have a lower opinion of their city.
That’s according to the results of a city-wide survey conducted by Olsson Associates as part of Newton’s project to create a new comprehensive plan (Newton Next).
Read more: Harvey County Now

On Dec. 26, at approx. 1:30 p.m., Bentley Police Chief Tim Bryan was flagged down by an area resident, who related that there was an injured owl on his property. The man stated that the large owl could still fly a small distance and that hawks were beginning to attack it, sensing its ill health. The Bentley Police Department helped a resident with an injured owl and transported it to safety. The owl was located at the edge of a field near 16100 W 109th St. N. As the closest available game warden was in Sumner County, Bryan captured the bird, identifying it as a great horned owl, and observed it to have an eye and wing injury. The owl was then placed into a plastic pet carrier and transported to the Hutchinson Zoo for care. The Cargill WildCare Center at the Hutchinson Zoo is a certified rehabilitation center, with over 900 orphaned and injured Kansas animals taken there in 2025. They are also well-versed in raptor care and recognized across the area as a licensed partner in this effort.
Read more: Harvey County Now

As the chapter closes on an installment of local politics, David Kauffman feels honored and blessed to have been involved in the city government of Hesston. After 16 years as mayor, Kauffman did not run for re-election for the next term, opening the door for Susan Swartzendruber to take up the mantle. The mayoral position in Hesston does not have voting power, unless a tie needs to be broken; rather, it’s a position that stresses the procedural aspects of the monthly meetings. Before being mayor, Kauffman was elected to the city council.
Read more: Harvey County Now

This year marks the sesquicentennial-plus-four years birthday—or the 154th—of Newton. With that in mind, local organizations decided to celebrate the town’s birthday, possibly every year from now on—if this year’s event is successful. Those entities include the City of Newton and the Newton Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Read more: Harvey County Now

The temporary closure of a small jail in north-central Kansas highlights problems facing counties across the state, officials say. Cloud County Sheriff Ken Davis blamed a lack of competitive pay and the sudden resignation of three employees for the closure. But officials in other, larger counties said those problems aren’t exclusive to Cloud County.
Read more: KSN-TV

A new housing development will be built in Liberal. The City of Liberal is hosting a groundbreaking celebration in partnership with French Construction on Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. The new Doll Housing Addition will have 66 single-family homes. The homes will be built on East Hickory Street near Griffith Avenue.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Newton said two water towers will be getting a new look next year. At a recent meeting, city commissioners approved new designs for the towers on Spencer Road and West 17 Street. One tower will feature the City of Newton’s logo, and the other will feature the flag. The City of Newton said the paint project will help protect the towers against rust and extend their life.
Read more: KSN-TV

Sumner County has rejected a conditional use permit for a battery storage facility near Oxford. After hours of public comment on Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to deny the permit for an energy storage facility near Webb Road and Highway 160. Close to a hundred people were present to protest the project, and over two dozen people spoke in opposition, raising environmental concerns.
Read more: KSN-TV

A Garden City veteran lost a leg and his will to live after an accident with a train last summer. Thanks to the town’s fire marshal, he is now embracing life and trying to get back home. It’s been a long half-year of recovery for 88-year-old Garden City veteran Raymond Stroup, who lost a leg last summer after his car was hit by a train. “I’ve had a lot of discouraging thoughts,” Stroup said. After experiencing such a traumatic injury in his late 80s, Stroup was ready to give up on life, but Garden City Fire Marshal Gene Robertson, who met Stroup through the accident, wouldn’t accept that line of thinking from a hero.
Read more: KSN-TV

A metal swarm of eyes in the sky could soon by crowding the air in Wichita’s Old Town and downtown. The city council approved a $600,000 donation from QuikTrip to allow the Wichita Police Department to host a ‘drone hive’ on the roof of its Washington and Douglas location. WPD says the location is a hub for street racing downtown. They aim to improve response time and deter crime in the area, as it is densely populated and a ‘no chase’ zone, making drones ideal for following suspects without the same risks.
Read more: KSN-TV

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The Kansas City Chiefs have informed administrative officials that they will announce their move to Kansas today, according to sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Read more: KC Star

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

SEK Animal Advocates rescued 29 cats outside a residence in Altoona last weekend. An Altoona woman, Carol Sharp, died in a car crash last week, leaving dozens of cats without care. Volunteers with SEK Animal Advocates, a non-profit foster-based dog and cat rescue, spent hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday catching cats and setting traps for the more feral felines. By Sunday night, they had captured 29 cats, with more still in the area.
Read more: -The Morning Sun